Thursday saw a pivotal moment in the history of public health when, for the first time, the need for the NHS to focus actively on prevention was formally acknowledged in the NHS 5 Year Forward View, published by NHS England, PHE, Monitor, the Trust Development Authority, Health Education England and the CQC.

On the same day, we also launched our evidence-based approach to physical activity, Everybody active, every day, at an event attended by 260 stakeholders drawn from Local Government, the NHS, sport, education, and a wide range of voluntary and community partners, and by Public Health Minister Jane Ellison.

It is estimated that every year there are around 25,000 excess winter deaths in England, and the sadness is that many of them are preventable. That is why, every year, we join forces with NHS England, the Local Government Association and the Department of Health to publish the Cold Weather Plan, a guide for local government, healthcare professionals and the public to help them take steps to stay warm and well.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/duncan-selbies-friday-message-24-october-2014